


By the Numbers

by NancyBrown



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Timey-Wimey, Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 17:18:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2476148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NancyBrown/pseuds/NancyBrown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack and River meet for the first time. A lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By the Numbers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



River meets him for the first time on a glittery dance floor on Arkanus Nine. He's wearing the uniform of the local military, crisp lines and sharp gems indicating his rank. She's in holosilk, which leaves nothing to the imagination, and the reddest heels she could lay her hands on. They share three dances, tossing breathy words back and forth until the others in the room are as meaningless as ghosts.

The music changes, grows faster. He's got a dancer's movements, and a lover's stamina. She hasn't had this much fun in ages, and makes a note to drag her sweetie here sometime. Not tonight, though. Tonight she's occupied with the man in her arms.

He is heat, engulfing her. She's on fire.

"Meet me upstairs in five clicks," she mouths at an earlobe.

"Four," he replies, his hips against hers.

"Four," River agrees, and disengages. Four clicks are still enough time to be halfway across the city before he finds out she lifted the very valuable artefact in his pocket.

* * *

The first time Jack meets her, she's robbing a tomb, which he'd been planning to rob himself. Three thousand years is a good time for anyone to rest. Besides, the weaponry rumoured to be buried with this particular god-king shouldn't be allowed to fall into the hands of the army Jack just deserted. Her hands are hardly more suitable. Still, she's a good shot with a laser, and they take turns holding off the bandits who want to take what they're rightfully stealing.

"The museum will give these a good home," River says, carefully inspecting each piece. Something about her suggests she's just as familiar with their lethal capabilities as she is with their market value.

"I don't think the museum will be safe enough."

They argue until the bandits come back with friends. While River is busy cutting a swathe through them, Jack sets charges. "Get out now," he says through his communicator, and the only good part about blowing up with all the weapons is that he won't have to hear her scold him all the way home.

An instant before he dies, he realises she's stolen his favourite knife.

* * *

The second time they meet, they spent fifteen minutes establishing who's where on what timeline. He buys her a drink. She buys him two.

"Have you seen him lately?" he asks her. He's clearly wanted to know, ever since he found out who she is.

"I see him when I can. I'm at my best out here." After the server brings them more drinks, she opens up. "He's seen me die. I can tell by the way he stares. I love being with him, but I can see him counting down the days to zero."

"Yeah," he says, and he tells her about Martha, who revealed to him what the Doctor never could.

After the fourth round, they stop talking about him, moving easily on to more interesting subjects. Jack challenges her to a game of ket-bo. She cleans the floor with him. He beats her at 3D billiards four times and loses the fifth because her top is undone.

By morning, neither has a clear recollection of what happened. They're both sore in the best places. They share one more friendly kiss before leaving for separate destinations, and embrace like siblings. Siblings from certain historical dynasties with which they are both familiar, but siblings nonetheless.

* * *

Two deaths later, Jack is still finding feathers in the oddest places. Every time he does, he grins.

River keeps his wallet. For sentimental reasons.

* * *

end


End file.
